What’s New This Week?

December 26 to January 5

Until December 27; Christmas Light Drive Through at Spruce Meadows. This display features hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights totaling over 50km in length strung up around the grounds. Learn more at sprucemeadows.com.

Until December 29; Storybook Theatre Presents: Beauty & the Beast. Step into the enchanted world of Broadway’s classic, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, an international sensation that has been produced in 37 countries worldwide at Beddington Theatre Arts Centre. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature, the stage version includes all the wonderful songs. Learn more at storybooktheatre.org.

Until December 29; Theatre Calgary Presents: A Christmas Carol. On Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three spirits, who take him on a journey into his past, present, and future to show him the errors of his ways. Dickens’ classic holiday tale comes alive on the Theatre Calgary stage. See why A Christmas Carol has become a holiday tradition for so many Calgarians. Learn more at theatrecalgary.com.

Until December 29; Alberta Theatre Projects Presents: Charlotte’s Web. One of the most popular productions in ATP’s history, E.B. White’s heartwarming classic about the unlikely friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a spider called Charlotte is returning to the Martha Cohen stage. Learn more at albertatheatreprojects.com.

December 29, 9am to 4pm; Festive Brunch at the Zoo. Delight in seasonal decor, delicious dishes, decadent desserts, and fun crafts for kids. With three seating times throughout the morning and afternoon, you can choose the perfect time to fuel up before or after your zoo adventure. Learn more at calgaryzoo.com.

Until December 31; In Search of Christmas Spirit in Banff. Discover the wonder of Christmas in Banff National Park this holiday season. Bundle up for a walk through the Cascade of Time Garden, where you’ll witness a live Christmas story told by the animals of Banff National Park. Learn more at banfflakelouise.com.

Until December 31; The Rotary Festival of Trees. A magical event happening throughout the month of December in the Malcolm Hotel in Canmore. Imagine an indoor forest of Christmas trees decorated and twinkling all in one place, all created and donated by local businesses. Learn more at rotaryclubofcanmore.ca.

Until December 31, 6 to 9pm; Airdrie Festival of Lights. Located in Airdrie’s Nose Creek Park, the Airdrie Festival of Lights is a beautiful, outdoor walk-through lights experience. Visit Santa’s Gift Shop near the entrance to find high-quality and whimsical gifts for yourself, your family and your friends. Learn more at airdrielights.com.

Until December 31; Winter Wonderland at Calgary Public Library. The weather outside may be frightful, but the library is still delightful! The library’s annual Winter Wonderland will feature seasonal fun during the month of December at the Memorial Park and Central locations. Come check out movie screenings, sing-a-longs, time with special guests, and more. Learn more at calgarylibrary.ca.

New Year’s Eve Events

December 31, 10am to 5pm; Southcentre Mall’s New Year’s Eve Golden Memories, Blue Skies. Golden Memories, Blue Skies is a spectacular finale to Southcentre Mall’s 50th-anniversary celebration. Join on New Year’s Eve for a day of cultural vibrancy, creativity, and connection as they celebrate the past, present, and future under Calgary’s new Blue Sky City brand. Learn more at southcentremall.com.

December 31, 12 to 2pm; TELUS Spark Noon Year’s Eve. Celebrate the New Year a little early with Noon Years Eve — perfect for ringing in 2025 and still hitting your normal bedtime. Learn more at sparkscience.ca.

December 31, 1 to 4pm; Calgary Public Library New Year’s Eve. Ring in 2025 with some family friendly fun at the library. Enjoy a dance party, special storytime, mock countdown, and more at Central, Crowfoot, Fish Creek, Seton, and Village Square libraries. Learn more at calgarylibrary.ca.

December 31, 5 to 8pm; New Year’s Eve Party in Canmore. Free all-ages evening of fun featuring fireside musical performances with local musicians, a DJ dance party, ice skating, marshmallow roasting, food vendors, and more. The evening will conclude with pyrotechnics show at 8pm at the field outside of the Canmore Recreation Centre. Learn more at canmore.ca.

December 31, 5 to 9pm; Zoo Year’s Eve: Family Night. Celebrate Zoo Year’s Eve: Family Night with the best and brightest backdrop in the city. You’ll enjoy all the fun of ZOOLIGHTS with special activities added to help you ring in the New Year – including numerous countdowns and a Zoo Year’s Eve light show so your little ones don’t have to stay up too late to partake in the fun! Learn more at calgaryzoo.com.

December 31, 7 to 7:30pm; Torchlight Parade at Norquay. Ring in the New Year with a dazzling Norquay tradition. The talented staff and instructors will descend the North American run, illuminating the slopes with a radiant torchlight parade. Watch the night sky come alive with glowing trails as they ski down from the Big Chair. Learn more at banffnorquay.com.

December 31, 7:30pm; Luminous Voices Choir Presents: A Luminous New Year’s Eve. A Luminous New Year’s Eve returns with a stunning array of unaccompanied choral works that will echo through Bella Concert Hall in reflection and celebration. Learn more at luminousvoices.com.

December 31, 8:30pm to 1:30am; New Years’ Eve Skate Party Extravaganza! Roll into the new year with House of Skate in style. Join for an epic all-ages New Year’s Eve Skate Party, where they’re pulling out all the stops for an unforgettable night. Learn more at houseofskate.ca.

December 31, 10pm to 12am; Zoo Year’s Eve: Adult Night (18+). The zoo iskeeping the lights on until midnight to celebrate the New Year! This Zoo Year’s Eve: Adult Night (18+) event will include the beauty of ZOOLIGHTS and an extra special light show with a ball drop and countdown at midnight. Cheer on the countdown and spend the evening with the ones you love. Learn more at calgaryzoo.com.

2025 Events

Until January 1; Banff Gondola Mountaintop Christmas. The Banff Gondola transforms into a magical winter wonderland complete with opportunity to take a photo with Santa and other Christmas delights. Learn more at banffjaspercollection.com.

January 1; Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert. Mark the New Year with timeless music, dazzling costumes, and breathtaking dancing. European singers, dancers, and the Strauss Symphony of Canada return for Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert at Jack Singer Concert Hall. Learn more at calgaryphil.com.

January 2 to 5; IndigoKids Special Events. Need fun, free activities to do before the kids head back to school? Indigo has you covered! Join in store for storytime, scavenger hunts, painting, and more. Learn more at indigo.ca.

January 3, 9:30am to 3pm; Bow Habitat Station Discovery Day. Join Bow Habitat Station for a series of immersive Discovery Days, featuring live theatrical programming, community partners, and activities that go beyond the Bow-ordinary. From fins to feathers, roots to trees, your regular admission to the Discovery Centre and Aquariums unlocks a world of exploration. Learn more at bowhabitat.alberta.ca.

January 3, 7:30pm; Avatar The Last Airbender In Concert. Experience the beloved animated series’ soundtrack performed by a live orchestra, as Aang’s epic journey comes to life on a cinema screen at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Learn more at jubileeauditorium.com.

January 4 to 12; Bugs Bunny at the Symphony. This brand-new edition of Warner Bros. presents Bugs Bunny at the Symphony features beloved classics like What’s Opera, Doc? and The Rabbit of Seville new additions such as Coyote Falls and Rabid Rider. Don’t miss these, plus many more favorites at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Learn more at bugsbunnyatthesymphony.net.

Until January 5; ZOOLIGHTS at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. ZOOLIGHTS, presented by Olympia Trust Company, is bigger, brighter, and bolder with over one million lights and close to 250 light figures. Immerse yourself in an array of lights, including new light displays such as Lemur Tales and The Festive Forest, making for the perfect photo op, date night or night out with friends and family! Learn more at calgaryzoo.com.

Ongoing

Mondays all fall and winter, 6 to 8pm; Olympic Oval Monday Night Toonie Skates. Skate on the fastest ice in the world every Monday this season for only a toonie. Learn more at oval.ucalgary.ca.

Thursdays, 4 to 4:30pm; Storytime at Mastermind Toys. Mastermind Toys often has special events at their Calgary stores, including storytime. Check with your store to confirm details. Learn more at mastermindtoys.com.

Weekends; Asylum for Art Brunch. Asylum for Art hosts weekend brunch and live music at the WaffleHaus Saloon. Admission is by donation, and you can reserve a spot. Learn more at asylumforart.ca.

December to March; WinSport Tube Park. This tube park is one of the largest in Western Canada and is the perfect activity to spend some time outdoors with your family. Purchase advance tickets at winsport.ca.

Until January 8; Lions Festival of Lights. For many Calgary families, the visit to the Lions’ annual light display marks the beginning of the Christmas season. Located on the east side of the Confederation Golf Course, you’ll find thousands of glowing lights displayed in beautiful Christmas themes. Learn more at lionsfestivaloflights.ca.

Until January 11; Jubilations Junior Presents: Beauty and the Grinch. The town of Glooville is set for Christmas to ring, to light up the tree and to laugh, dance and sing. The mayor has come to do her mayoral duty and is joined by her dazzling daughter named Beauty.  Learn more at jubilations.ca.

Until January 11; Jubilations Dinner Theatre: All Those Rolling Stones. Step into the tumultuous world of All Those Rolling Stones, where the rhythms of an iconic rock band, the ink-stained pages of a revolutionary magazine, and the pulse of a generation converge.  Learn more at jubilations.ca.

Until January 14; 10th Annual Legacy Christmas Light Parade. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and the community of Legacy is ready to brighten 2024 with their 10th annual Christmas light display. Legacy will illuminate the south end of the city with over a million sparkling Christmas lights, making it one of Calgary’s largest free light displays. This milestone year promises even more festive charm as the community celebrates a decade of spreading holiday cheer. Learn more at westcreekdevelopments.com.

Until February 2; Stage West Theatre Presents: Girls Just Want to Have Fun! Step aside, boy bands! The era of the girl groups has arrived! From the stylish swingin’ sounds of the Andrews Sisters in the 1940s to the pop perfection of the Spice Girls in the 1990s, female vocal groups have brought harmony, hip shaking, and hit after hit. Learn more at stagewestcalgary.com.

Until February 17; Journey Through the Stars. Delight in a wintertime journey that moves you through four locations in the heart of East Village. Woven into a four-part short story exhibit, this experience invites readers to discover new ways to take in the night sky, embrace the crisp winter air, and find words to express a newfound love for their surroundings. Written by four talented authors inspired by different folklore, history, and imagination, each story unfolds uniquely, shaped by the path you choose. Learn more at evexperience.eventcalendarapp.com.

Fridays until March 2 to 6pm; Hygge Hut. Hygge Hut returns to RiverWalk for its fifth winter season, bringing you warmth, comfort, and all the cozy winter vibes. This contemporary, Scandinavian-style space is inspired by the Danish idea of Hygge, which means a special kind of well-being. Watch the lights twinkle across the river and warm your hands with crackling firepits ready to welcome you until March 2025. Learn more at evexperience.com.

Until March 31; Nightrise. Suphur Mountain’s summit is transformed through four digital art installations. Vibrant lighting, multimedia effects, video projections, and music bring the mountaintop to life in a new and unexpected way. Learn more at banffjaspercollection.com.

Monday and Wednesday from 10 to 11:30 am. The Beach YYC Drop-In Children’s Playtime. On Monday and Wednesday mornings take part in children’s play time at the beach. Bring your child to spend a few hours digging and playing in the sand. They supply all the beach toys including shovels, buckets and more. Learn more at thebeachyyc.ca.

Monday to Thursday, 9am; Parent Tot Drop-In at Cavalry FC Regional Field House. Cavalry offers a variety of drop-in programs for parents to participate in with their children ages 18 months to three years old. Learn more at cavsfcregionalfieldhouse.com.

Drop-In Programs at City of Calgary Recreation Centres. Don’t miss out on Active Play where you can bring your kiddo’s energy to an indoor play space. Roll, jump, throw, and balance while being creative with various active play equipment. Kinder Room Drop-in allows you to play with your child on an incredible indoor play structure. Race through tunnels, over a suspension bridge and slide down slides. Learn more at liveandplay.calgary.ca.

Storytime at Calgary Public Library. Drop into various Calgary Public Library locations to enjoy stories, songs, and finger plays for the whole family at Family Storytime. Learn more at calgarylibrary.ca.